London: The British hostage whose life is threatened in the Isil video that shows the murder of American journalist Steven Sotloff was a subject of a failed rescue attempt by US special forces, it emerged on Wednesday.
David Cameron has been holding regular emergency Cobra committee meetings over the fate of the man, who was captured in Syria in March last year.
Sources disclosed that the British hostage was one of the targets of a failed US-led operation to free people being held by Islamists in Syria. It last month emerged that US special forces soldiers fought Isil militants during an unsuccessful night-time raid as they attempted to free Foley and a number of other hostages, understood to include the British citizen.
Sources have refused to comment on whether any British soldiers were involved in the operation. British officials are understood to be in regular contact with the man’s family and will continue to provide support, sources said.
Cameron will this week come under intense pressure to launch a military offensive against Isil extremists following the beheading of a second journalist.
Cameron was on Tuesday informed of the murder of Sotloff while he spoke at a private meeting of Conservative MPs in Parliament. He was seen reading the news on his BlackBerry mobile phone as aides attempted to establish the details of the latest incident. As he left the meeting, the Prime Minister, who looked visibly shocked, said: “I’ve just seen the news. It is an absolutely disgusting and despicable act.”
